Author: Emil Karabekian

IANS – The interior structure of rocky exoplanets orbiting other stars will have interiors very similar to Earth — a thin outer crust, a thick mantle, and a Mars-sized core, researchers have shown using a computer model.

“We wanted to see how Earth-like these rocky planets are. It turns out they are very Earth-like,” said lead author Li Zeng of the Harvard-Smithsonian Centre for Astrophysics (CfA).

Zeng and his team applied a computer model known as the Preliminary Reference Earth Model (PREM), which is the standard model for Earth’s interior. They adjusted it to accommodate different masses and compositions, and applied it to six known rocky exoplanets with well-measured masses and physical sizes.

They found that the other planets, despite their differences from Earth, all should have a nickel/iron core containing about 30 percent of the planet’s mass. In comparison, about a third of the Earth’s mass is in its core.

The remainder of each planet would be mantle and crust, just as with Earth, according to a CfA statement.

“We’ve only understood the Earth’s structure for the past hundred years. Now we can calculate the structures of planets orbiting other stars, even though we can’t visit them,” Zeng said.

The model assumes that distant exoplanets have chemical compositions similar to Earth. This is reasonable based on the relevant abundance of key chemical elements like iron, magnesium, silicon, and oxygen in nearby systems.

Photo: DHA 

The Executive Committee of the International Human Rights Network of Academies and Scholarly Societies (H.R. Network) issued a statement endorsed by 28 Nobel laureates in support of Turkish academics who have come under fire for signing a petition calling for an end to military operations in southeast Turkey, the Hurriyet Daily News reports.

In a statement released on Jan. 19, the committee, which uses the international stature of the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine to advocate in support of non-violent academics, said it was “alarmed” by the increasingly “repressive and inflammatory” reactions of the Justice and Development Party (AKP) government against opposition voices.

The H.R. Network expressed concern that “intolerant individuals” and university officials who have joined government officials in accusing the academics, “solely because they publicly expressed humanitarian concerns about the grave crisis in southeastern Turkey.”

“We condemn any threats, false accusations, and incitement to violence against our colleagues by the government of Turkey,” it said, while reminding the government of its obligation under the Universal Declaration of Human Rights to ensure that its citizens are free to hold and disseminate their opinions.

“Surely, citizens of a democratic country such as Turkey, and its academics in particular, have a civic duty to remind their government, when deemed necessary, of its obligation to respect Turkey’s constitution, adhere to humanitarian standards for all of its citizens, and give priority to peaceful solutions in crisis situations,” the statement added.

Just a day after the committee’s statement, on Jan. 20, the European University Association (EUA) also published a press release expressing “deep concern” over the treatment of Turkish academics.

“The EUA would also like to underline that, irrespective of the content of the petition, freedom of expression is a core university value and a sine qua non of democratic societies,” the statement said, adding that the Turkish government and the country’s Higher Education Council (YOK) should respect freedom of expression.

The association added that it was “dismayed” by the detention of signatory academics at Kocaeli University, which is itself an EUA member.

Universities and prosecutor’s offices across Turkey have launched investigations into many of the 1,128 local and international academics and intellectuals who signed the petition titled “We Will not be a Party to this Crime,” arguing that the petition went beyond the limits of academic freedoms.

The investigations and detentions came soon after President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan slammed the petition’s signatories, stating that human rights violations in the southeast are being committed by the outlawed Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) militants and not the Turkish state.

Armenia will be the Guest of Honor of the Minsk International Book Fair to be held in the Belarusian capital on 10 to 14 February, learned from the Belarusian Information Ministry.

In different years, the honorary title was given to Russia, Ukraine, Israel, Kazakhstan, France, Germany, Venezuela, and China.

This year’s edition of the forum is expected to bring together book publishers from Russia, Kazakhstan, Ukraine, Germany, France, the United Kingdom, the United States, and other countries.

The Information Ministry said that the book fair will showcase best products of the national and foreign book publishing industries. The program of the forum features many cultural and business events.

The Year of Culture in Belarus will be one of the key themes of the upcoming event along with the preparations for the 500th anniversary of Belarusian book printing. Other themes include the 25th anniversary of the founding of the Commonwealth of Independent States, the 30th anniversary of the Chernobyl nuclear disaster, the 70th anniversary of the United Nations, the 400th anniversary of William Shakespeare’s death, and other anniversaries.

The Delegation of the European Union issues the following statement in agreement with the EU Members States Heads of Mission in Armenia.

The EU is committed to supporting reforms in Armenia, in particular in the area of democracy, human rights and fundamental freedoms and rule of law. Good governance and human rights protection are essential for the future of Armenia and increased public trust in the political and judiciary system.

The institution of Ombudsman is crucial for promoting and monitoring the effective implementation of international human rights standards at the national level and in advancing all aspects of the rule of law, including with respect to the judiciary, law enforcement agencies and the correctional system.

The high importance attached by the EU to the institution of the Ombudsman is confirmed also by the recently signed human rights budget support programme (2016–2018) for Armenia with value €12 million.  This is designed to support Armenia in tackling key issues related to anti-discrimination, child rights, prevention of torture, fight against domestic violence and enhancing electoral legislation. The programme was designed to contribute also to the strengthening of the Ombudsman´s office capacity in monitoring human rights education and providing recommendations, addressing concerns of minorities, persons with disabilities and other vulnerable groups as well as cooperation with state institutions. The programme aims at enhancing coordination and cooperation among relevant stakeholders and its implementation will be monitored by a steering committee co-chaired by the Ministry of Justice, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ombudsman, Head of EU Delegation, and with the inclusion of civil society representatives to ensure a structured dialogue.

We learned with regret that Ombudsman Karen Andreasyan has resigned and we commend him for his excellent work. It is of the utmost importance to ensure a proper selection of and to safeguard the full and unconditional independence of his successor. Therefore, the EU trusts that the next Armenian Ombudsman will be appointed by the National Assembly in a consensual manner and will be able to preserve the independence of this important institution. A more efficient follow-up by state bodies of the Ombudsman´s recommendations will certainly contribute to better human rights protection in Armenia.

On January 14, in accordance with the arrangement reached with the authorities of the Nagorno Karabakh Republic, the OSCE Mission conducted a planned monitoring of the Line of Contact between the armed forces of Nagorno Karabakh and Azerbaijan in the eastern direction of the Talish village of the NKR Martakert region.

From the positions of the NKR Defense Army, the monitoring was conducted by Field Assistants of the Personal Representative of the OSCE Chairman-in-Office Khristo Khristov (Bulgaria) and Jiri Aberle (Czech Republic).

 From the opposite side of the Line of Contact, the monitoring was conducted by Field Assistant of the Personal Representative of the OSCE Chairman-in-Office Yevgeny Sharov (Ukraine) and Personal Assistant to the Personal Representative of the CiO Simon Tiller (Great Britain).

The monitoring passed in accordance with the agreed schedule. No violation of the cease-fire regime was registered.

From the Karabakh side, the monitoring mission was accompanied by representatives of the NKR Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Ministry of Defense.

Cristiano Ronaldo’s statue on his home island of Madeira has been vandalised with Lionel Messi’s name and shirt number painted on it, reports.

The graffiti appeared on the statue in the island’s capital Funchal on Tuesday night shortly after Barcelona’s Messi claimed a fifth Ballon d’Or ahead of the Real Madrid star.

Messi’s name and the number 10, both scrawled in red, had been removed on Wednesday after officials were alerted to the damage.

“It’s a shameful act committed out of jealousy towards him,” said Ronaldo’s sister Katia Aveiro.

“The rage that some unloved and frustrated fatheads display in public in a disgraceful way which leaves me as a Portuguese person ashamed and sad.”

Ronaldo unveiled the 11-foot bronze effigy of himself in December 2014 on the Funchal seafront, a few hundred metres from his own self-financed museum.

Delivering his annual report to the nation, Obama did not name Republican 2016 candidates. But he took clear, implied shots at them nevertheless, particularly front-runner Donald Trump, as well as Sens. Marco Rubio and Ted Cruz. America’s destiny, the President said, was imperiled by a political system festering in malice, gridlock and in the grip of the rich and the powerful.

Obama also took on critics who accuse him of weakening American power abroad and Republicans who say he is underplaying the threat from radical Islamist groups such as ISIS. He mocked the contention that fighters on “on the back of pickup trucks and twisted souls plotting in apartments or garages” represented an existential threat to America.

The President acknowledged that a torrent of change, technological advances and economic dislocation has left many Americans fearful of the future and anxious as social structures that have underpinned the life of the nation for decades fray. But he urged them not to fall prey to the periodic temptation that has emerged throughout history to alienate minorities and resist social change.

President of Armenia, Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Yerevan State University Serzh Sargsyan participated today at the meeting of the YSU Board of Trustees which was held at the Scientific Council Hall of the University.

At the end of the year meeting, the members of the Board discussed and approved the report of the Rector on the main areas of activities of the YSU in the 2014-2015 academic year. The results of the University activities were assessed as satisfactory.

At the meeting approved was the strategic plan of development for 2016-2020, a preliminary budget of the University for 2016 fiscal year, structure and the manning table of the YSU.

In the framework of the agenda, Rector Aram Simonian presented to the members of the Board the report on the revenues and expenditure for year 2015 (January-November) which was taken note of by the participants of the meeting. At the meeting a decision was adopted to choose an auditor to conduct in 2016 the audit of the YSU financial activities and financial reports. By the same decision specified were functions of the auditor. The report of Rector Aram Simonian on the activities of the University in 2014-2015 academic year contained references to the areas of education, science and research, international cooperation, publications, public relations and information systems, social policies, activities involving students and alumni, as well as information on the work of the Ijevan branch of the University, which, according to the Rector, was organized and carried out in accordance with the tasks and priorities set by the strategic plan of development of the YSU.

Rector of the Yerevan State University presented to the participants of the meeting the strategic plan of the University. According to the plan, activities of the YSU are directed at the implementation of the programs in the areas of the Armenian Studies, physical sciences, social and economic, humanitarian sciences, technical disciplines, different cultural programs, as well as programs in the fundamental sciences and applied scientific research.

Among other issues, the Board of Trustees of the Yerevan State University discussed and adopted a decision on the establishment of the Student Services Ltd and the charter of the company.

Before the meeting, at the fifth floor of the main building of the University, the President of Armenia familiarized with the books published in the last two years in the framework of the 95th anniversary of the YSU publishing house, and with the publications dedicated to the centennial of the Armenian Genocide.

At the conclusion of the meeting, President Sargsyan responded to the questions raised by the members of the YSU Board of Trustees.

“Secretary-General has taken note of the summit held between the Presidents of Armenia and Azerbaijan on 19 December 2015 in Bern, Switzerland, organized under the auspices of the Co-Chairs of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) Minsk Group,” Spokesperson for the Secretary General Fahran Haq told a briefing on December 22.

“UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon has commended the efforts of the Co-Chairs of the Minsk Group to organize this meeting and their ongoing work to de-escalate the current tensions along the Line of Contact and the Armenia-Azerbaijani border,” the Spokesman said.

“He trusts that the summit offered the two sides the opportunity to discuss the practical steps to reduce the ceasefire violations and the civilian casualties and to agree on ways to move the peace process forward,” he added.

The Secretary-General also noted the expressed support of both Presidents to the Co-Chairs’ efforts with regard to measures aimed at reducing the risk of violence.

The Secretary-General called on the sides to work closely with the Co-Chairs of the Minsk Group to de-escalate the current tensions and to refrain from any actions that may result in further violence.